A/N: As always, thank you everyone who left a review, they're the lifeblood of this fic.
At first Rhaego had immediately assumed that the man was a liar, but the mass of pilgrims heading towards Pentos told him otherwise.
He had called his bloodriders back and ordered his Khalasar to make camp for the night while he and the red priestess and Gerion stood before a nightfire, waiting for Mylessa to find an answer in the flames. While Rhaego and his Lannister companion could only see the dancing flames, their priestess stood transfixed on the orange glow, her face changing from wonder, to shock and even horror. For a long time she merely watched the flames with a blank gaze before Rhaego roughly shook her.
"What did you see?" he demanded, "Was it my mother?"
Mylessa nodded absently. "I saw your mother," something dark came over her then and she seemed to wince at some unseen force. "And the dragons, it is true, they exist and suckle at your mother's breast as fire consumes everything around them. Queen Daenerys' enemies are everywhere, we must go to Pentos.
Nothing could stop me, he thought with a growl. Of course he was going to travel to Pentos; it was his mother that was in danger, the only family he had left. There's also this business with the Dragons, he reminded himself. He had seen a vision in the House of the Undying, of his mother with a red dragon on her shoulder, were his visions coming true?
The young Khal turned to one of his bloodriders and ordered him to tell the Khalasar that they would be riding for Pentos at first light. After that was seen to he turned his attention back to the red woman. "What else has your god shown you? You mentioned enemies, who are they?"
"I know not my prince, the lord of light only showed me but glimpse of the danger, knives in the dark." She responded quietly.
Rhaego frowned at that. "Can't you look again?"
Mylessa seemed to bristle at that and her mouth became a thin red line. "I cannot simply pick and choose what I am shown; I am not a dancing bear trained to perform tricks."
Rhaego wasn't sure what he had done wrong beside ask her a question but was in no mood to continue the discussion and stormed back to his tent, he was not halfway before he heard Gerion running up to meet him. "What do you plan on doing when we get to Pentos?"
"I plan on finding my mother and getting her away from these greedy cheesemongers," replied the Khal with a grim tone.
"You forget yourself Rhaego," he admonished. "The Khalasar is bigger than before, we can't simply go straight through the city and expect them to let us march directly to Magister Illyrio's manse, we need a different approach."
Rhaego looked at the Lannister carefully, "what do you propose?"
A grin spread itself across the man's golden features and his emerald eyes gleamed with excitement, "Let me go in with some of your bloodriders, we can sneak her in and out with no one the wiser, trust me, stealth is the key here."
"Aye, you might be right. We'll discuss this on the morrow." He noticed that the Lannister looked as if he wanted to say something more, finally Rhaego snapped. "Anything else?"
Gerion gave a weary sigh. "Your priestess, I swear she's a Tully."
The Khal gave a shrug. "That name means nothing out here, and if you must know she told me that her father was some rebellious lord who died in the Riverlands, most likely she's a bastard. It makes no difference who sired her, her allegiance is to me."
The last son of Tytos Lannister shook his head at that. "No, her allegiance is to that fire god. No matter what she says or does you had best remember that."
When Rhaego finally returned to the quiet solitude of his tent, he was deeply troubled. Between the news of his mother and the dragons, as well as his conflicting thoughts on the Red woman, Rhaego felt lost. It is as if I have been thrown out to sea, he thought bitterly, despite how hard I swim the tide always keeps me back.
He collapsed onto his furs and stared up at the roof of his tent, his thoughts drifting. Dragons sucking at her breast while fire consumes all, the way Mylessa had said it was as if she was afraid, but Rhaego could not imagine someone as gentle and kind as his lady mother being able to frighten a servant of a fire god. It has been years since you saw her; an annoying voice in the back of his head reminded him. She may be a completely different person by now.
Memories came back unbidden then, of the last time he had spoken with his mother. He had been no more than fourteen years of age when he first told her of his plan. As he closed his eyes he could still see the look of outrage and shock on his mother's dainty face.
"I have to go!" he shouted, his voice raising uncontrollably as he felt the bubbling anger course through him. "Magister Illyrio told me that they were a gift to you, a symbol of House Targaryen!"
Daenerys had frowned at her son, who already a foot stood taller than she. "They were gems, nothing more Rhaego." She said trying to cool her son's temper. "Do you think that I am so shallow that I still care more about them than I do for you?"
Rhaego had bristled at that, hearing an insult behind the plead. "You think I can't do it! I'm not a child anymore!"
"Yes you are!" shouted Daenerys, suddenly caught up in her own anger and frustration. "You're MY child!"
"You told me that uncle Viserys had to sell Grandmother's crown to feed you," he said without thinking, "You said that he became mad and cruel and sad because he had to give them up, what's to stop that from happening to you? I've heard the servants talking; they say that madness is in the blood!"
As soon as he said it Rhaego immediately regretted his words. The look of hurt and betrayal on his mother's face cooled his rage and almost made him want to go to her but something deeper in his heart told him that he had to continue on. And so he had, without another word he gathered his things and left Pentos behind him, not once looking back.
"What do you think they look like?"
"What?"
"The dragons," Gerion explained. "Of course I've read all there is to know about the creatures, studied every account written about the Targaryen dragons and seen their skulls at King's Landing, but seeing a live one…" the Lannister's face was full of awe. "That would be a true sight to behold….a miracle."
Rhaego gave a nod but continued to look forwards as he led his Khalasar west to Pentos. They had been moving at a steady pace, making good ground. He found that he had to temper his expectations of the speed of his horde's travel, ever since he took on Zogo's men he had taken on women, slaves and the infirm. There had not been any children in his new Khalasar, a fact he had been thankful for. There is the girl, he reminded himself as he gave a brief glance over to the child riding near Mylessa.
The red woman seemed to have felt his presence and looked up at him. Rhaego tried to discern what she was thinking but was only met with an enigmatic smile. "How do you think she did it?" asked Gerion, cutting through Rhaego's thoughts.
"Do I look like a Maester?" he said with a hint of irritation in his voice. "You'd be better served by directing your questions to our priestess."
On cue the woman rode up to Rhaego's left and tilted her head towards the Lannister. "Queen Daenerys no doubt used blood magic for this thing," she said casually, "The high priests in Asshai can do much and more with those arts."
Gerion snorted. "My lady, I've been from the Wall all the way to Valyria and never in my travels have I ever seen a man hatch a dragon from dead stone, blood magic or not this is a sign that the world is changing."
"And the servants of light have always said so," replied Mylessa petulantly. "These things were foretold long ago by our prophets, telling everyone who would hear the truth of things, yet it is men like you who would deny your own hearts."
Gerion gave the woman a withering look. "Don't lecture me on ignorance-"
"Quiet!" roared the Khal, silencing the two. "I'll not have you argue theology all the way to Pentos." He eyed off the land around them as it was bathed in the orange light of the setting sun, with the occasional rock formations that littered about it provided a level of natural defence and he decided that it would make for a decent place to set up camp.
He brought his stallion to a halt. "We'll stop here for tonight," he announced. "But get as much rest as you can; we leave early on the morrow."
The remainder of the day was spent setting up camp and feasting; Rhaego's people seemed to enjoy the respite and a relaxed mood set across the Khalasar. It was moments like this that made Rhaego feel content and allowed him to enjoy the absolute freedom that his life had granted him. Suddenly he felt something tugging at his leather pants and when he looked down he saw Jhezabel looking up at him expectantly. "Lady Mylessa wants to see you Khal." she said, not a single hint of fear about her.
Rhaego could only smile down at the child. "Very well, lead on."
The little girl grabbed hold of the Khal's hand and took him over to Mylessa's tent, inside the woman was busy lighting candles around the room and when he laid eyes on her he lost his breath. Mylessa wore a gown of red silk so sheer and fine that the candles shone right through it to reveal a vivid picture of her finely formed body.
When she spotted them she smiled and waved the child away and went over to pour Rhaego and herself some wine. The wine, much like everything else in the tent, was red. The Khal couldn't help but drink in the sight of her as she sauntered over to him, her hips moving in an almost hypnotic fashion. What have I walked into here? he wondered as he accepted the wine cup from her.
"You look…." He tried, only to be at a loss for words.
Mylessa smiled. "I look…."
"Beautiful," he breathed. "You look beautiful, though I'm wondering what's the cause of all this?"
She locked eyes with him then, and he thought he saw something flickering inside the beautiful blue spheres, something vulnerable, and something…human. Was she uncertain? Was she afraid? Rhaego got the impression that while his red priestess liked to hide behind her piety and confident personality; she was as conflicted and anxious as he was. It was a comforting thought.
Her eyes seemed to notice his scrutiny and suddenly they became downcast, she bit down on her bottom lip for a moment before forcing herself to look up at him. "You once told me that you wouldn't touch me unless I asked you…well, now I'm asking."
That was all the invitation Rhaego needed. Gently he took hold of her hips and bent his head down so that their faces were almost touching before he pressed his lips to hers in a soft, yet passionate kiss. Her lips were soft and tasted of something that was at once spicy and sweet, something that stirred a hunger from deep inside.
His fingers travelled from her hips and moved up her sides, before softly running along the underside of her breasts. When he stroked her nipples through her gown she let out moan, and he began to slowly kiss down her neck, her collarbones, and smiled inwardly when he felt her shiver.
An almost animalist grin came over him as he slowly unlaced the top of her gown and shrugging her out of it. He caught sight of her blushing when her breasts were bared and for a moment he thought she would cover herself. The action caused him to stop for a moment. "If I'm going too fast, please tell me."
A tiny smile came across her face then and she took a step forward, closing the gap between them and pressing herself against him. She took a hold of his long silver mane as she kissed him fervently, her tongue tracing along his mouth. He drew back, wanting to drink in the sight of her, he almost wanted to say something, some words of comfort and romance but Mylessa grew impatient and pulled him into another deep kiss.
Somewhere along the way they freed themselves of their clothes and fell backwards on the bed, with Mylessa straddling his lap. Rhaego laid his hands on her thighs, gripping them gently as he felt her lower herself down on his manhood; he let out a groan as the warm tightness squeezed at him. Slowly but surely they found themselves in a rhythm as they thrust and into each other, all the while exploring each other's body with kisses. Her fingers began to tighten their hold of his hair and began to move all the more fervently, while he adjusted the angle of his hips causing her to shudder against him and grip him tighter between her thighs, he knew he was close and so was she.
And like a bolt of lightning her back arched sharply and she threw her head back while she laid her hands upon his chest, the tightness between them intensifying as she came. A moment later he felt himself spill his seed inside her.
They lay together for a long time afterwards, breathing heavily. Their eyes traced each other's spent forms, and occasionally their eyes would meet, purple and blue, and a smile would set upon their lips.
In that moment Rhaego felt himself free of the world and its troubles, in that moment dragons and prophecies did not matter, the two lovers were the only ones in the world during that moment.